Pro-Union coalition rocked by the Tories

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Cross-party plans to give Holyrood sweeping new tax-raising powers suffered a big setback yesterday after David Cameron refused to commit to a timetable for change.

The Conservative leader backed the principle of more financial accountability for MSPs, but indicated that a Tory government would not regard it as a legislative priority and would reject the White Paper published by the Westminster Government.

In doing so, Mr Cameron opened himself to the charge that he has fractured the coalition of pro-Union parties in Scotland — Labour, Conservative and Lib Dems — which had backed greater powersin an attempt to outflank the